On 21st October, Selfridges and restaurateur Des McDonald will launch Forest Restaurant & Cabin Bar on the Roof at Selfridges. Inspired by an autumnal woodland, Forest Restaurant & Cabin Bar will offer sophisticated comfort food and seasonal cocktails beneath a starry sky.
Throughout the autumn and winter season Forest Restaurant & Bar will evoke the beautiful autumnal forest and woodlands of England. Inspired by foraging trips to Britain’s lush forests, the menu will include hearty hot pots, grilled meats and fish and seasonal vegetable dishes. The Cabin Bar, situated on the terrace, which has its own entrance, will be the perfect spot to escape and indulge in the roof’s renowned Choctails, seasonal ales and warming mulled wine and cider.
The menu concept for Forest Restaurant – ‘foraging and foresting to fork’ – is inspired by the wealth of produce found in Britain’s vibrant woodland. Forest’s kitchen will be headed up by Chris Dargavel, previously the Head Chef at On the Roof with Vintage Salt, and will be overseen by Lee Bull, Chef Director of the Des McDonald group. Fergal Dooley, previously at Holborn Dining Room will be the General Manager.
Starters will include: Windsor Estate mallard on toast and a mulled cider vinaigrette, Foxes Farm pumpkin & goat’s cheese tart and Juniper gin cured salmon served with pickled cucumber. Guests can choose from an array of main dishes including: Baked game meatballs served with vegetable orzo, Wild Highland Roe deer fillet with kale and an elderberry sauce, and truffled mushroom risotto and Duck shepherd’s pie with autumn squash. Head Pastry Chef Siobhan Ambrose has created a beautiful dessert menu which will feature: Chocolate Forest; Rose custard tart, Treacle sponge served with whisky Anglaise, and a Pina Colada jelly.
The Cabin Bar, located on the terrace will house outdoor lodges, complete with blankets to keep guests warm and a bespoke photo-booth lodge. The drinks menu will present an assortment of carefully selected wines, beer, cocktails and soft drinks. The cocktail list will include; ‘Smokey & Sour’ – a blend of Black Label, rosemary, lemon juice, maple syrup, La Phroag and Burlesque Bitters, ‘Truffle Martini’ – an innovative mix of Gin, vermouth and truffle oil and ‘Fancy Nogg’ – a warming mix of Brandy, Frangelico, milk, cream, honey, hazelnut and nutmeg. The popular ‘choctails’ will be returning to the roof with a new selection to warm guests on chilly nights. This will include ‘Gingerbread Chocktail’ – a delicious concoction of Gingerbread liqueur, rum and hot chocolate. Also on the Choctail menu are the ‘Spiced Banana Choctail’ – Banana liqueur, rum and hot chocolate and the ‘Chestnut Choctail – Crème de Chataigne, white chocolate liqueur and hot chocolate.
In addition to the Express Lift on the Ground Floor in the Fragrance Hall, Forest can also be accessed via a landscaped staircase on the fourth floor, leading guests directly to the Cabin Bar.
Nathan Herrmann, Selfridges Food and Restaurants Director comments: “We are excited to offer our shoppers a fantastic place to pause on their Christmas shopping to savour the best of the ‘Forest’. We are sure our customers will be enchanted by the view, décor and food.”
Des McDonald comments: “I am delighted to be opening our fourth rooftop concept, Forest Restaurant & Cabin Bar on the Roof. We really enjoy working with Selfridges and are excited to transform the room into another successful residency.”
Forest Restaurant & Bar will join the Des McDonald Restaurant Group which includes his other new openings; The Printing Press and Burr & Co in Edinburgh, The Refectory and Chapter House in York and his London restaurants; Q Grill Chalk Farm, Frontier Room at Q Grill, Vintage Salt Upper Street, Vintage Salt Liverpool Street and Holborn Dining Room. More restaurant openings are planned for 2016.